February 2: The Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine has been charged with violating the electoral code of conduct during their inaugural campaign rally at Chowpatty last month. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), has, in a complaint to the city collector, Vijay Kumar Gautam, alleged that the state machinery was used for organising the rally.Gautam, who admitted having received the 10-page long complaint, said he has instructed the returning officer for Mumbai-4, Suresh Karande, to submit a report soon. "As soon as we receive the report, it will be passed on to the Election Commission (EC), which will decide on the matter," he said.
The BJP-SS alliance had kicked-off its campaign with a huge rally at Girgaum Chowpatty on January 1 this year. Among others, it was addressed by chief minister Manohar Joshi, deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde and other ministers.
It was later alleged that the CM and deputy CM were both accompanied by a convoy of half a dozen cars each. The MPCC hasalso complained to the EC that thousands of policemen were deployed on bandobast. Over 1,200 cars, 127 trucks and buses and 45 tempos were used for transporting party workers to the venue. Said MPCC general secretary Gurunath Kulkarni, "The expenses for the entire rally must be between Rs 10 and 15 lakh." As per the new regulations, the ceiling for the entire poll campaign is Rs 15 lakh per candidate.
However, additional commissioner of police, south region, K Subramaniam, has already submitted a report to the collector which states the extent of police deployment and vehicles used. The number of policemen was less than 600, which is half the usual number posted for such rallies, stated the report. Subramanian is in the process of filing another report.
Denying the allegations, the BJP's city unit president Kirit Somaiya said, "The rally had been announced much before the code was enforced." He also claimed that the expenses were footed by the parties, not individual candidates, and they did not exceed Rs1 lakh. Although Gautam remained non-commital on the expenditure, he admitted that it was a "massive affair".
As the code of conduct was declared on the afternoon of January 1, and came into force from January 2, there is a bit of confusion about whether it is applicable to the rally. Gautam maintains, "Though I cannot decide, the parties may be given the benefit of doubt."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
